Sachin Tendulkar asked his first question, a written one, in the Rajya Sabha last week.
New Delhi:
A lawmaker seeking exemption from attending the Upper House triggered a debate on the choice of nominated members - including former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar - on Monday morning.
JD-U member KC Tyagi objected to the application for permission to remain absent for the entire session shortly after the House began the day's proceedings. His remarks were expunged.
"Such nominated members need not be there in Parliament," Mr Tyagi later told NDTV. Members also raised the issue of cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and actors Mithun Chakraborty and Rekha - who are also nominated members - rarely attending Parliament.
"Sachin Tendulkar is a Bharat Ratna. He appears in advertisements of private companies but takes leave of the house," Mr Tyagi told NDTV. "The government should be careful while nominating members.
Rekha, Sachin Tendulkar and Mithun Chakraborty remain absent citing poor health or other reasons...These people don't participate in the proceedings and debates," he said.
Mr Tendulkar, who was nominated by the UPA government in April 2012 with Ms Rekha, asked his first question in the House last week. He had attended Parliament for only seven per cent of the days till December 3, according to PRS Legislative Research, an organisation that tracks Parliament.
The three MPs have not participated in a single debate so far. Mr Chakraborty who was nominated in April 2014 has been present in the House only on one of 10 days that Parliament has been in session since. Ms Rekha's attendance record at five per cent is the poorest.
A member who is absent for 60 consecutive sittings runs the risk of disqualification.
JD-U member KC Tyagi objected to the application for permission to remain absent for the entire session shortly after the House began the day's proceedings. His remarks were expunged.
"Such nominated members need not be there in Parliament," Mr Tyagi later told NDTV. Members also raised the issue of cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and actors Mithun Chakraborty and Rekha - who are also nominated members - rarely attending Parliament.
"Sachin Tendulkar is a Bharat Ratna. He appears in advertisements of private companies but takes leave of the house," Mr Tyagi told NDTV. "The government should be careful while nominating members.
Rekha, Sachin Tendulkar and Mithun Chakraborty remain absent citing poor health or other reasons...These people don't participate in the proceedings and debates," he said.
Mr Tendulkar, who was nominated by the UPA government in April 2012 with Ms Rekha, asked his first question in the House last week. He had attended Parliament for only seven per cent of the days till December 3, according to PRS Legislative Research, an organisation that tracks Parliament.
The three MPs have not participated in a single debate so far. Mr Chakraborty who was nominated in April 2014 has been present in the House only on one of 10 days that Parliament has been in session since. Ms Rekha's attendance record at five per cent is the poorest.
A member who is absent for 60 consecutive sittings runs the risk of disqualification.
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